Ideas for a vertical map layout

(ailmanki) #1

So I thought lets create a topic collecting Ideas for a more vertical map layout.

Have a look here for basics about map design, not targeted at SD, but still might be interesting :slight_smile:
Designing FPS Multiplayer Maps

I actually had in mind a few ideas, but they all vanished now… d’oh.
All coming into my mind is what should be avoided… lol. Like big cliffs.
While I loved battery in ET, it was sometimes just a slaughterhouse.

I think I would love to see some nature inbetween the city, with some more variation in terrain.
:confused: Oh well maybe tomorrow I remember…

(tokamak) #2

I’d like to see an entire map take place in the Gerkin, the oval shape allows to jump down to lower floors through broken glass.

I guess the problem is that it would require an entire london cityscape which would be too much asked.

(BioSnark) #3

Fog.

Construction is also interesting:

The Town Hall interior stairs:

Is this really what Heathrow will look like?

article-0-0F836CE900000578-398_964x754.jpg964Ă—754 164 KB

British Museum central interior looks like a quake/ut arcade map architecture:


and basilica style interiors are always interesting vertical spaces:

(tokamak) #4

Fog of course, I feel stupid. The unreal engine has no issues with making that look great.

(BioSnark) #5

Also Lloyds:

and maybe 7 More London:



(acQu) #6

Water ! … uhm wait, not water, this shrinks my framerate :frowning:

(warbie) #7

Some promising maps could be made based on those pics, Biosnark. Nice and open.

(tokamak) #8

Just a gigantich stairway to fight in would be splendid.

(rookie1) #9

[QUOTE=warbie;413139]Some promising maps could be made based on those pics, Biosnark. Nice and open.[/QUOTE]indeed !Biosnark nice places for maps :slight_smile:

(.Chris.) #10

I’ve never seen a vertical map work though and never liked the idea of them, unless you start from the roof down that is, having defenders constantly have the higher ground doesn’t work so reversing it would be interesting. Perhaps could have the map continue on from camden with the helicopter shown on a roof where the attack spawn and you have to use the information you captured in other map for something in this map by working your way down into the structure.

That youtube video reminds what I hated about pretty much every Brink map, solid ledges on balconies everywhere.

(rookie1) #11

[QUOTE=.Chris.;413173]I’ve never seen a vertical map work though and never liked the idea of them, unless you start from the roof down that is, having defenders constantly have the higher ground doesn’t work so reversing it would be interesting. Perhaps could have the map continue on from camden with the helicopter shown on a roof where the attack spawn and you have to use the information you captured in other map for something in this map by working your way down into the structure.

That youtube video reminds what I hated about pretty much every Brink map, solid ledges on balconies everywhere.[/QUOTE]

solid ledges on balconies everywhere= me too i dont like them

(tokamak) #12

Raven Shield has the Penthouse map where there’s a very high but narrow staircase to fight in. Very interesting as you’re trying to win every turn on the stairs.

As for that museum shootout, the edges are very low.

(ailmanki) #13

I think its very difficult to make a good map with lots of vertical in it. Thats why I started this topic, to get good ideas, so that SD can make a excellent map! Most good competitive maps are plain “2d”, at max 1-3 floors. almost never areas stacked, since normally the minimap can’t handle that very well.
Also, DB looks quite real-lifeish, so there is no way for some funny architecture, and on top of that its in London - right?
London seems to have quite a lot of underground, even catacombs. But I couldn’t find any good pictures or places.

Chris idea with a building starting from top, sounds like the best, I would add a building which is being built - giving more liberty for designing it I think.

I think there is also the question of movement, when attackers come from above, they may aswell jump down - and attack from behind. When there is a railing making that impossible - it feels bad. Then again, jumping from to high would kill - that should be obvious, else its a death trap for newbies.

Thinking of it, the current available maps, have already some kind of elevation, but the objectives are more or less on same height, I think I would prefer a even greater difference. Like now it seems like 3 levels of elevation in the maps. and the objectives are mostly on 2 of them. Maybe add more 1-2 more height levels. So that a the highest level, when you jump down - you die.
PS:
While looking for some places in London, I found this movie, which was quite funny and teached me about London.

//youtu.be/anHLOwH2HWU

@Tokamak, while the staircase has interesting fights, its also a potential spot for grenade spam (at least current soldier 3 and a fops would be enough to lock that down), so it would need more then one way around. Cause its basically a single path, with the same cover repeatedly.

(BioSnark) #14

Can have Elevators/elevator shaft ladders/firestairs for alts.

(tokamak) #15

Yeah indeed, that’s not a vertical problem, horizontal singular bottlenecks have the exact same issue.